Lamp may have sparked fire that damaged Westfield home

WESTFIELD – A Tuesday night fire that damaged a Westfield home may have been sparked by a lamp that was left on.

Jennifer Mieth, spokeswoman for the state Fire Marshal's office, said the blaze was electrical and started in an office room. She said point of origin is near a lamp that was left on, but specifics of what exactly happened are hard to come by.

"One of the problems with fires is it destroys a lot of evidence," Mieth said.

No one was at home when crews responded to the fire after 11:15 p.m. Tuesday at 372 Montgomery Rd. The house was up for sale, but Mieth said a family was still living there.

Deputy Fire Chief Patrick Egloff said that, at the least, the house will need a new roof.

“I would say there’s substantial damage, but it’s not a total loss,” he said.

Mieth said anyone who notices arc sparks, short circuits, sizzling or buzzing sounds, or even a vague burning smell should contact their fire department immediately. Even if flames are not visible, something could be burning inside a wall.

She also urged homeowners to not leave heavy duty appliances, such as washers, dryers or space heaters, turned on when they leave the house. She said homeowners should have an electrician survey their system every ten years.

"A little preventive maintenance could be fairly inexpensive, and it could save you a lot of heartache," Mieth said.